After the Light (FFXV)

Chapter 10

          Lestallum appeared to be more crowded than usual, as everyone celebrated the return of the light and their King. It was safe to say the time traveling team partied the hardest. In a year, they wouldn't be visiting Noctis' Tomb, because he was alive.
           Noctis stood at the Outlook with Ignis and Gladio, and Prompto soon joined them and swung his arm over Noctis' shoulder.
           "All right. When's the next road trip?" Prompto asked playfully.
           "You're joking, right?" Gladio said.
           "Are you mad?" Ignis added.
            "I think I just want to sleep." Noctis yawned.
            "Heh. It seems ten years hasn't changed you as much as you'd like us to believe." Gladio teased.
             "There's only one way to find out." Ignis said before walking away.
             "I don't think I like where this is going." Noctis said.
             Ignis soon returned with a plate of vegetables. Noctis immediately switched spots with Prompto, hiding behind him.
            "Did I startle you? Apologies. Now, come eat your veggies." Ignis insisted.
             "I'm...not that hungry, but thanks, Iggy. You can eat them." Noctis replied.
             "Just like old times!" Prompto laughed.
             "Seems like ditching the spiky hair was your biggest change." Gladio teased.
              "What was wrong with my hair?!" Noctis asked, beginning to feel self conscious.
             "Let's take a look." Prompto suggested, holding up his camera.
              "What?! No. We don't have to do that. Put that away." Noctis insisted.
              Noctis reached for the camera, but Prompto pulled away from him and started scrolling through the pictures. After a couple more attempts to take the camera away, Noctis gave in and took a trip down memory lane with his friends.

             Iris wandered through the crowded city, in search of the chocobros. Stella noticed her immediately, and pushed through the crowd to walk with her. They greeted each other with a friendly smile.
            "I'm glad I caught you. I need to talk to you about something." Stella said.
            "Okay. What's on your mind?" Iris asked.
            "Well...now that this is over, I might be moving to Tenebrae." Stella said. 
             "Really?" Iris asked. "Why?"
             "I was talking to Ravus before he left for Insomnia. He says that as a Nox Fleuret and the Oracle, I should be there. He also said I could learn more about our family."
            "If that's what you want, you should do it." Iris said.
            "See, that's the thing. I want to go to learn more about my family, but I don't know if I want to live there... Also...I was wondering...if you'd come with me?"
           They stopped walking once they reached to the steps leading to the Outlook. Iris could see Noctis and his friends laughing while looking through the photos on Prompto's camera.
          "I don't know, Stella. There's still so much work to do. It'd be wrong to just leave." Iris said.
           "We don't have to go right away. I told Ravus I'd think about it. You're my best friend, and I could really use your support. Just for a little while." Stella said. "Think about it."
            Iris nodded her head. She knew that in a year, Lucis would still need work, and Insomnia would take years to rebuild. Part of her thought it wouldn't be so bad to leave, while the rest of her wondered why she'd leave after working so hard to keep Noctis alive. Noct... That'll never happen. What am I doing?
            Iris walked down the steps, still watching Noctis as he smiled and laughed at the photos. That's enough for me.
She stopped near them, not too close, and said, "Gladdy, can I talk to you about something?"
"Yeah, sure." He responded, moving away from the group.

          
            By night, Noctis found himself back at the Outlook, in a spot with the least amount of people. Like many others who hadn't seen them in ten years, he gazed up at the stars. Though, there was one that always stood out to him. It was the brightest star in the sky, even against the moonlight. Since no one else ever pointed it out, Noctis always assumed it just wasn't that serious, or they couldn't see it.
As happy and grateful as he was to be alive, his mind was full of questions. Is it really over? Should I be here? Were all of those sacrifices for nothing?
           "Your highness? Everyone's looking for you." Stella's voice came from behind him.
           Noctis looked back and watched her until she stopped beside him. He soon turned his attention back to the star, and she did the same.
           "So, what's your story?" Noctis asked.
           "Me?... Well, ten years ago, I found out that I'm the twin sister of the late Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. My biological parents faked my death when I was a baby, and I was raised by a very nice couple who lived in a small town in Cartanica. After my adoptive parents died, I made my way to Tenebrae. The manor was empty, and I think the magitek showed up to kill me. I probably wouldn't have made it out without Iris' help." Stella explained.
"Iris?" Noctis asked in disbelief.
"And Cindy, and Aranea." Stella chuckled. "You don't believe me?"
"What reason did Iris and Cindy have for going to Tenebrae back then? We left Iris at the lighthouse, and Cindy never stops working. There's no way they could've known about you and I didn't." Noctis turned his attention away from the star, and on to Stella.
"Apparently they did. Cindy had a flying car, and Iris said she was sent there to find me." Stella said.
"I think you're bluffing." Noctis folded his arms.
"Don't underestimate them. I had my doubts, since Iris was so young, but she got the job done." Stella smiled.
"If you say so... Mind if I ask another question?" Noctis asked.
"Not at all." Stella replied.
"I understand why you have the power of the Oracle. Where does the warping come in?" Noctis asked. "Yours is gold."
"It's...a little complicated." Stella gazed up at the sky and her eyes locked on to the brightest star up there. "Can you see it?"
Hesitant, he responded. "See what?"
"That light. It looks a lot like a star, doesn't it?" She answered, smiling.
"I always assumed it was a star." Noctis admitted.
"I thought so too. After my near-death experience as a child, it appeared. I pointed it out to my parents and friends, but they couldn't see it." Stella said.
"Near-death experience? That explains a lot." Noctis sighed.
"Happened to you too, huh?"
"Yeah, when I was a kid. I don't like to talk about it."
Stella smiled again. "Well it's nice to know that someone else can see it. After that experience, I received additional powers. It wouldn't surprise me if you received the same powers."
"If I did, I know nothing about it." Noctis shrugged.
"Noct! Stella! Come on!" Prompto called.
            Noctis and Stella looked back and saw Prompto waving his camera in the air. They smiled and then merged with the small crowd, making their way to Prompto.

Three months later, Ignis parked the Regalia in his usual spot at Cape Caem. He stepped out of the car with Noctis and Prompto, and they started making their way up to the house.
"Anyone else paranoid?" Prompto asked.
"Should we be?" Noctis responded.
"Uhh...Gladio told us to come here, but wouldn't tell us why. The guy's pretty straightforward most of the time." Prompto said.
"It's not as bad as you think." Ignis reassured him as they arrived at the house.
Gladio stood in front of the porch, looking at his phone, as Talcott and Iris walked out of the house and down the steps.
"You made it." Iris said happily.
"About time." Gladio said, putting his phone in his pocket.
"What's going on?" Noctis asked.
"Well...no one can live in Insomnia right now, but I'm sure you'll be all over the place anyway... Lestallum's really hot, so we figured you could stay here sometimes. We cleaned it up and set up the rooms. I'm sure you remember how much space is in there...so you won't be alone." Iris answered.
"Thanks. You didn't have to do that." Noctis said.
"It's the least I could do. You'll be able to move the Royal vessel to the dock once we leave." Iris said.
"When you leave?! Where are you going?! When are you going?!" Prompto asked, slightly frantic. "Gladio, are you-?!"
"Relax. I'm not going anywhere." Gladio answered reassuringly.
"It's just me. I'm going to Tenebrae tomorrow." Said Iris.
"Tomorrow?!" Prompto shouted. "What about us?!"
"Yeah. I'm just going to help Stella get settled in. I shouldn't be gone long. You guys will be fine." Iris said.
Prompto shifted his eyes towards Noctis, and then back at Iris. Having noticed this, Iris gestured for him to walk with her, and they headed towards the lighthouse. They were silent for a moment. Prompto thought it was best for everyone to stay together for at least one year, after the light returned.
"I don't think you should go. We just got Noct back." Prompto said.
"And hopefully he'll still be here when I get back, but there's other work to be done. Believe me, I didn't want to go at first...but my whole life doesn't revolve around Noct. Other people need my help." Iris responded.
            "We all spent a year...pretty much distancing ourselves from each other. Do we really want to do that again?" Prompto asked.
            "That's not what's happening, Prompto. You, Ignis, and Gladdy will be with Noct. There's nothing to worry about." Iris smiled.
             "...You're right. I guess I'm a little paranoid. We saved Noct, so someone else has to die. That kind of thing... Just make sure you come back." Prompto folded his arms.
            "I will. Don't worry." Iris ended the conversation; walking around the lighthouse.
Prompto smiled before he started walking back to the rest of the group.

"Are they-?" Noctis began.
"No. Why would you think that?" Ignis asked.
            "It seems personal."  Noctis said.
"He's still chasing after Cindy." Gladio said once Prompto was close enough to hear them.
"What about Cindy?" Prompto asked.
             "Nothing. Noct simply has the wrong idea about you and Iris." Ignis answered.
             "What? No. We're friends, and into two completely different people. Her situation is a lot more complicated than mine." Prompto patted Noctis' shoulder, and then left his hand on it.
             "Ahh. Well I hope it works out for her." Noctis said.
             Prompto, Gladio, Ignis, and Talcott shifted their eyes towards one another. Is he serious?
            Gladio sighed and then said, "Just...make sure you talk to her before she leaves."